Aircraft Recognition Advanced (ARA)

IntroductionCCPL Smallwood – 111SQN

Objectives

By the end of this session you will be able to:• Describe stealth technology.• Identify, using WETFUS, current stealth technology

aircraft.• Describe the need for stealth technology in high risk

environments.• Outline the implications of OTH radar on stealth

technology aircraft.• Explain the use of stealth in the Gulf War.

Knowledge on aircraft recognition teaches:• How to recognise aircraft types and nation of origin.• Capabilities of the aircraft.

Stealth Technology

• “The use of advanced design and specialized materials to make an aircraft difficult or even impossible to detect by radar.” ~ Dictionary.com

Fuselage: Unique, triangular.

Undercarriage: Retractable tricycle gears.

Special: Missile / bombays located between main and nose gears.

Stealth Aircraft – F-117

Wings: Highly-swept delta / sweepback wings.

Engines: Twin, non-afterburning turbofan engines in fuselage.

Tailplane: Fully-moving, outward canted V-tail.

Fuselage: Cigar shaped.

Undercarriage: Retractable tricycle gears.

Special: Missile / bombays located between main and nose gears.

Stealth Aircraft – F-22

Wings: Delta with sweeping trailing edge.

Engines: Twin, afterburning turbojet engines.

Tailplane: Outward canted dual fins.

Stealth Aircraft – B-2

Wings: Large, swept back, positioned low.

Engines: 2x dual turbofans mounted within fuselage.

Tailplane: No vertical stabilisers.

Fuselage: Cigar, blended with wing.

Undercarriage: Retractable tricycle gears.

Special: Twin bombays, shaping on edges.

Stealth Aircraft – F-35

Wings: Delta, sweeping trailing edge.

Engines: Single afterburning turbofan engine + optional mechanical lift-fan.

Tailplane: Outward canted dual fins.

Fuselage: Cigar shaped.

Undercarriage: Retractable tricycle gears.

Special: Twin bombays, optional rotating rear nozzle and lift-fan assembly for short take-offs and vertical landings.

The Need For Stealth

• Principles of air combat:

– Detection

– Targeting

– Engaging

– Evasion

The Need For Stealth

The Need For Stealth• Principles of air combat:

– Detection

– Targeting

– Engaging

– Evasion

Over-the-Horizon Radar• Standard radar:

– Limited by line of sight – the Earth’s horizon prevents it from seeing more than a few hundred km max.

• OTH Radar:– Bounces radar waves off the Earth’s

ionosphere.– Can ‘see’ thousands of km away.

OTH RadarStandard Radar

Ionosphere

Enemy Aircraft

Radar Station

Earth

Over-the-Horizon Radar

Over-the-Horizon Radar

The Gulf War

• In 1990, Iraq invaded and attempted to take over (annex) Kuwait.

• United Nations condemn the invasion and a US-led force liberates Kuwait and pushing Iraqi forces back to their borders.

• Iraqi Air Force at the time is 900+ aircraft strong and tens of thousands of anti-air defence systems are active.

The Gulf War• Following the then-current “AirLand Battle”

military doctrine (tactics), Coalition / Allied forces launch airstrikes against targets in Iraq.

• Leading the strike against Baghdad are 10 F-117A Nighthawks.

The Gulf War• The F-117A’s come

under fire by ~3000 anti-air cannons.

• Due to their stealth design, not a single F-117A is damaged.

The Gulf War

• During the rest of the air war, F-117A’s make up 3% of Coalition air units, but destroy 43% of all targets.

• The extreme success pushes forward the production of the B-2 Stealth Bomber.

Questions?

Summary

In this lesson, we have learned:• Stealth technology.• Allied and notable stealth aircraft, including the:

– F-117– F-22– B-2– F-35

• The need for stealth.• Over-The-Horizon radar.

– Including the ADF Jindalee OTH radar array.• The Gulf War and the use of stealth within it.